Commutator



Feb. 11. 1925. 1,526,310

. E. H. POLLOCK Filed Sept. 1922 Patented Feb. 17, 1925.

UNITED: STATES EARL HORACE POLLOCK, O'F OLDS, IOWA.

COMMUTATOR.

Application filed September 11, 1922. Serial No. 587,498.

T 0 all whom it may concem:

Be it known that'I, EARL Honacr. PoL- LocK, citizen of the United States, residing at Olds, in the county of Henry and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Commutators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved commutator for internal combustion engines, being more particularly designed for use in connection with Ford engines, and seeks, as one of its principal objects, to provide a commutator wherein the necessity for lubrication will eliminated while liability of premature failure of the commutator will be reduced to a minimum.

A further object of the invention is to provide a commutator wherein the closing of a. circuit through the several contacts of the commutator will be sure and dependable.

And the invention has as a still further object to provide a commutator which will be sturdy in its construction, which may be easily assembled, and which may be readily employed in lieu of the ordinary Ford commutator as now in common use.

Other and incidental objects will appear hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional view showing my improved commutator applied to the timer shaft of a Ford engine,

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of parts being shown in section,

Figure 3 is a disassembled perspective view showing one of the spring pressed contact shoes of the device and associated parts, and

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view particularly showing the contact disc of the device. 7

As previously intimated, my improved commutator is particularly designed for use in connection with Ford engines and, in the drawings, I have accordingly shown the device in connection with the timer 10 of such an engine, a portion of the timing gear case of the engine being indicated-at 11. This timing gear case is providedvuth the usual flange 12. In carrying the invention into effect, I employ a contact disc which is formed with a metallic hub 13 to fit the forward end of the shaft 10 and radiating from the hub at its inner end is an annular flange 14. Surrounding the hub to abut sald the device,

flange is an insulating ring 15 which is preferably formed of fiber and is, as shown in Figure 4, provided at one side with an anar lip overhanging the flange. Extending through the ring and through said flange is a plurality of circumferentially spaced rivets 16 securing the ring upon the hub. Sunk into the periphery of the ring is a metallic contact member 17 which extends from side to side of the ring abutting the periphery of the flange 14. The outer face of this member is curved to conform to the. curvature of the outer face of the ring and extending from'said member at its inner side is a medially disposed lug 18 throu h which is engaged one of the rivets 16. The contact member is thus rigidly secured in place and, as will be-observed, the lug 18 abuts the hub 13 forming an electrical connection between said member and the hub.

Rotatably fittin at its inner end within the flange 12 of tie timing gear case 11 is a metallic shell 19 cupped at its outer end to accommodate the usual clamping arm for the shell and radiating from the shell is an arm 20 carrying a sleeve 21 to receive the usual control rod whereby the shellmay be rotated for advancing or retarding the instant of ignition. Fitting through the wall of the shell at equally spaced points thereabout are insulating bushings 22 and extending through said bushings are binding posts 23 provided at their inner ends with oblong heads 24 curved to conform to the curvature of the inner face of the shell. Interposed between the heads 24 of said bolts and the shell are insulating strips 25 and formed on the heads at corresponding ends thereof are sleeves 26 from which rise stop flanges or shoulders 27 extendin from end to end of the sleeves. Threade upon the posts are nuts 28 cooperating with the bushings 22 for securing the posts upon the shell and preferably, lock washers 29 are interposed between saidnuts and the bushin At their outer ends, the binding posts aFs o carry nuts 30 to be employed in securing circuit wires to the posts.

Pivoted upon the heads 24 of the binding posts are longitudinally curved contact shoes 31, the convex faces of which bear against the periphery of the contact disc, the shoes being of a width substantially equal to the width of said disc. Risin from the inner ends of the shoes are s aces ears 32 straddling the sleeves 26 of the eads sleeves 26 are studs 34. Similar studs 35 rise from the inner sides of the shoes and engaged at their ends over these studs are springs 36 pressing the shoes against the contact disc. Thus, as the shaft 10 revolves the contact member 17 of said disc will be brought into engagement with the contact shoes successively for closing a circuit throughsaid shoes While, when the shell'is displaced, the shoes will be moved to abut at their inner ends against the stop shoulders 27 of the heads 24 of the binding posts limited by said shoulders so that accidental displacement of the springs 36 will thus be prevented.

' Having thus described the invention,what is claimed as new is:

1. In a commutator, a contact disc in- ,flange thereon, an insulating ring surrounding the hub'to abut said flange and provided at one slde with an annular hp overhanging the flange, a contact member sunk into the periphery of said ring and provided with a lug extending through the ring abutting the hub, and a fastening deviceextending 40 through the flange, the lug and said ring securing the parts in assembled relation.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

EARL HORACE POLLOCK. [1,. 5.] 

